Initial findings and case studies of a 30-year follow-up of gifted students and adults suggest that characteristics such as love of one's work, persistence, purpose in life, love of challenge, high energy level, and a sense of mission may be more important in the long run than creative ability, intelligence, and high school achievement. (DB)

In the University of California (Davis) Program in College Teaching, graduate teaching assistants develop and fulfill contractual agreements for faculty-guided investigations into their disciplines, with supporting individualized activities about practices and issues of college teaching. Aspects of the program's development and effectiveness are…

Medical schools are starting to put students in small groups and help them solve real problems they will face in treating patients. Trend of problem-based learning in medical schools will have ripple effect throughout education. Teachers relinquishing lecturer's role must become adept at listening, answering questions, and helping students frame…

A survey of 121 undergraduate and graduate social work students and 96 field instructors found that many students had experienced verbal and physical abuse and that most instructors had experienced verbal abuse and physical violence. Although students received some instruction on safety, practicum agencies often had no safety policies. Curriculum…

An annual study on higher education trends finds that as institutions limit enrollment, hire less faculty, and downsize programs, minority faculty and students are hurt most. Data on trends in enrollment (by college type and student demographics), faculty hiring (by region), and budgets (by institution type) are charted. (MSE)

Key institutional, social, and psychological factors that may be visible or invisible barriers to women and ethnic minorities seeking academic careers are examined, drawing on recent literature. Recommendations for change at the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and graduate levels are offered. (MSE)

A study of 28 graduate teaching assistants' socialization experiences identified 171 salient experiences signaling and intensifying identification with the departments and their roles as fledgling academicians. Experiences are categorized as (1) changes in intellectual self-evaluation; (2) encounters with students, peers, and superiors; and (3)…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of organizational changes in the general medicine clinic on residents' and patients' satisfaction, including their perceptions of the quality of care. Questionnaires to assess satisfaction were administered to the residents (N=80) and patients (N=577) using a pre- and posttesting design. (MLW)

Describes study conducted at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto that investigated graduate education students' use of audio conferencing (AC) in distance education. Evaluation results of student questionnaires are discussed, including effects of absence of visual cues; student attitudes; and role of…

The University of California (San Francisco) dental school has combined its previously independent general practice residency and advanced education in general dentistry curricula, to provide a program with the resources and identity needed to meet its goals for excellence and leadership. The administration, facilities, curriculum, faculty,…

A study examined differences in the clinical teaching of 21 medical residents and 19 attending physicians in 2 settings: inpatient care and lectures. Results indicated that ratings were generally similar for the two groups, but setting was a significant source of variance. Self-assessments were similar. Implications for instruction are discussed.…

Describes the development of an alternative preservice teacher education program that helped students realize that children learn through constructing ideas about the world and themselves and demonstrated the belief that learning to teach is a process of constructing meaning. The program encouraged student teachers to explore their potential for…

Replies to "Adolescent Mothers Drop Out" (Douglas K. Anderson, 1993). It is indeed true that women who begin childbearing as adolescents achieve less schooling than do women who postpone or forego childbearing, but debate about why continues. It is argued that the apparent impact of early childbearing on education may result from a common set of…

Advice for doctoral students and fledgling educational researchers presents the following suggestions: (1) use what is known about problem finding to choose a dissertation topic, (2) be persistent in productivity and in the face of discouragement, and (3) replace the typical dissertation structure with a more functional one. (SLD)

Discusses the portfolio method of student assessment in the Educational Leadership program at Auburn University Montgomery (Alabama). Highlights include the procedures, format, components, and assessment practices utilized; perceptions of university faculty, students, and prospective employers; and the future of leadership portfolio assessment.…